NATO may soon have to admit Article 5 does not exist, Zhorin says

NATO will soon have to acknowledge the ineffectiveness of its collective security mechanism, as member states are showing no willingness to use it. Western reactions to recent developments in Iran also show confusion and an inability to respond to modern threats.

The view was expressed by Maksym Zhorin, Deputy Commander of Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps.

The former Azov regiment commander says NATO’s current policy called into question the alliance’s core principle of collective defense in the event of an attack on one of its members.

«I think NATO will soon have to say that Article 5 simply does not exist, because no one is going to use it anyway, ” Zhorin said.

He criticized the international community’s reaction to the escalation involving Iran, saying the West appeared less prepared for the crisis than analysts had expected.

«Overall, I assess the reaction of the Western world to the situation with Iran as even worse than expected. Chaotic moves and a lack of understanding of what to do confirm a complete unpreparedness to respond to risks, ” he said.

Zhorin added that attempts by European countries to strengthen defense through militarization and the return of conscription could provoke strong resistance from society.

«When European countries begin moving towards militarization and conscription, they will face the consequences of their liberal policies in the form of mass protests and sabotage by the population, ” he concluded.